Monday, November 30, 2009

I Hear the Train A Comin'...

It's rollin' round the bend.



The CSX crossing on Skyline Drive in Hopkinsville, KY

When the railroad crossing arms drop in front of me, I consider it a challenge to get a photo of the train. This freight train was traveling fast. I was surprised that I got my camera out of my purse, rolled down the window, and clicked the shutter in time to catch the locomotive.

The title and subtitle of this post are the first two lines of "Folsom Prison Blues", a song Johnny Cash wrote in 1951, the year I was born. On YouTube, I found over 5000 search results for "Folsom Prison Blues." Many have sung the song; some sang it better than others.

Here's a good, undated video of Johnny Cash singing "Folsom Prison Blues".  It's an interesting contrast to a younger Johnny Cash singing "Folsom Prison Blues"  in 1959.  He picked up steam with that song as the years went by.

In a video of Johnny performing "Folsom Prison Blues" at the Tennessee State Penitentiary in 1974, he appears to be using the Martin guitar that I photographed at the Country Music Hall of Fame museum.

Well if they freed me from this prison,
If that railroad train was mine
I bet I'd move it on a little farther down the line
Far from Folsom prison, that's where I want to stay
And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away...

(Johnny Cash, 1932–2003)

Johnny Cash's guitar
Johnny Cash's battered and scratched Martin guitar

5 comments:

Runawayimagination said...

My classic rock band, Two-Bit Eddie plays that song, our one homage to country music.

Genevieve Netz said...

And it's an excellent choice, I'll bet you get requests for it if you don't play it voluntarily.

Many people don't realize that Johnny Cash was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, for being a pioneer in rock & roll and rockabilly. (But I'm sure I don't have to tell you that, Runaway.)

Lesa said...

Great picture! I too keep my camera in my purse ready at all times!

Genevieve Netz said...

Hi, Lesa. I got in the habit of carrying my camera about 30 years ago, and I've done it ever since. I try to be a tourist wherever I go.

Lesa said...

I went to Nashville today with my sister to shop and left my camera at home. I could have taken a dozen pictures! There was even a lady in a winery that had an old fashioned "bee hive" hairdo! My heart was broken! I missed a golden opportunity to take a picture! Ugh! I bought 4 bottles of wine just to make me feel better!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

CONTENTMENT: Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry, live simply, expect little, give much, sing often, pray always, forget self, think of others and their feelings, fill your heart with love, scatter sunshine. These are the tried links in the golden chain of contentment.
(Author unknown)

IT IS STILL BEST to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasure; and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong.
(Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1867-1957)

Thanks for reading.